After 40 years of charity truck shows, under the leadership of Frank and Dianna Pangburn for the past 35 or so, a new regime was announced that is taking over the long-running Truckin’ For Kids charity event in Southern California – and those new owners just happen to be we at 10-4 Magazine! Looking to retire, the current owners approached us in March of 2021, wondering if we might be interested. At first, we were not, but after careful consideration and thought, and putting a solid succession plan in place, we agreed to take it over. But before we get into all that, let’s just report on how Frank and Dianna’s final TFK went, which was great.
Held at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, CA (about 30 minutes east of downtown Los Angeles) on September 18-19, 2021, where it has been held since 2007, the event features truck drag racing and a Show and Shine truck beauty competition. Raising money for various children’s charities over the decades, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is the current recipient of most of the money raised. Since 2011, we at 10-4 Magazine have been hosting a dinner at TFK on Saturday night for anyone in attendance. In 2013, we switched from just serving food that we brought in from one of our favorite Mexican restaurants to cooking and serving our own meal, and from there it just grew.
After giving the plates of food away for many years, someone suggested we sell it for a reasonable price and then donate it back to TFK and their participating charities, so we did. This meal, which is completely prepared and served by all of us at 10-4 Magazine personally, is always two kinds of smoked meat, along with three or four homemade side dishes, and a drink. This year, our meal consisted of smoked tri-tip, hot and mild sausages, mac and cheese, ranch beans, green beans with bacon and caramelized onions, a Hawaiian roll, and a drink. We also had two kinds of cake for dessert, compliments of the TFK crew and one of our longtime distribution people, Hugo Ruano.
Working hard all day on Saturday setting up our booth and cooking, I have said it plenty of times over the past few years, but this BBQ is the hardest we (myself and my wife Shannon) work all year! This year, with the help of many, we served over 250 people and raised $3,200.
Helping us with the cost of the food, we would like to thank Vic Caliva for making a very generous donation, along with Paul Clodio of Pacific Equipment Co. in Commerce, CA, and our friend Clayton Crofts of Precision Diagnostic Automotive. A few people who helped with the cooking and cutting included Glenn and Tiffany Cassity, Tim Sieben, Hugo Ruano and John Testa. Our serving crew included Jean Osugi, Paige Linss, Jordyn Ecoff, Lizzy Lyman, Devin Baldwin, April Sieben, John and Kim Jaikes, Parker Linss, Alyssa Burrows, and Gracie Sieben. A huge “thank you” goes out to all those people for their help – we couldn’t have done it without you!
While we were busy cooking on Saturday, the trucks started rolling in. By the end of the day, over half the lot was full and most of the vendors were setup and ready to go. Around dusk, the TFK crew presented Frank and Dianna with a super-cool neon sign of the Truckin’ For Kids logo, along with a beautiful custom cake (one of the cakes we offered as dessert after our dinner). Once it got dark, the light show began, and what a sight it was. After the 2020 show cancellation, it was awesome to finally see TFK back in action and all those amazing rigs lighting up the lot. And to document and share the event, our very own John Testa, with help from Julia Hull, livestreamed the entire evening to Facebook and our YouTube channel for all to see.
With absolutely perfect California weather (clear blue skies and temps in the low 80s), the show got off to a great start on Sunday morning. Registration was open until noon, and by then the location was full, with almost 300 trucks on the lot. There was a time when the carloads of spectators, waiting to get in, were lined up for a mile in each direction to enter the speedway parking lot. At one point, the parking lot was full, so they had to wait for a car to leave before they could let another one in. What a great show of support for this awesome charity event!
Walking around or, in my case, riding around in the golf cart due to my broken foot and the “boot” I was wearing, there were some awesome rigs on the lot. Along with many of the usual suspects at TFK like the Maggini crew, Albert Guzman, Vince Jenkins, Ron Ver Steeg, Miro Dragich, Lil Ray’s group, Stan Alles and others, Central Valley Transport had a lineup of six bright red trucks, all looking good, with the flagship being Colton Pounds’ stellar Peterbilt, covered with flames and pinstripes. Other folks that were lookin’ good were George DeFrancesco (DDT) and a portion of his fleet (including his green and black Peterbilt that was featured on our June 2016 cover), John Lagomarsino and his lineup of sharp heavy haulers, Bobby Vaz and his clean cream and orange Peterbilts, and our friend and past cover trucker Rolando Nava (Rollin’ R) and his large collection of super-nice reefer rigs, including several head-turning aero trucks.
Not to be outdone by anyone, Double E out of Fresno, CA had several nice tanker trucks, Kelvin Monzon of Monzon & Sons in Los Angeles, CA (another past cover trucker) had a bunch of blue, black, and silver construction-related and heavy haul trucks, along with an amazing silver and blue 1967 Mustang Fastback that matched his fleet, and Arrowhead water, which always brings out some great rides. Also looking good was our past cover trucker (May 2020) Jose Ruben Vargas and his bright red Pete 386 and black curtain van, Rob House, who still has the same red and blue 2005 Peterbilt 357 mixer truck we featured on our cover back in April 2006, only now it is all black, and Jerry Salinas, who’s maroon 2-axle 1963 Peterbilt 281 (that was featured on our February 2013 cover) is always on-point and looking perfect.
At noon the drag races began. With plenty of street pickups, hot rod diesel pickups, racing trucks, hopped-up big rigs and custom Super Drag trucks, the racing was hot and heavy. The grandstands were full, as all the trucks did their burnouts and made their passes. With the final race happening just before 4:00 PM, between a custom white Pete race truck from Hernandez Diesel Garage and a red A-Model Kenworth with yellow flames from V-Bros. Racing, the crowd was on their feet. In a tight race, Oscar Velasquez in the red KW narrowly beat Arnold Hernandez in the white Pete for the Super Drag title.
Once the racing ended, it was time for the awards – and it was one of the only times I can remember them starting on schedule. Some of the big winners included Shawn McClintic of Arrowhead (several awards), Central Valley Transport (Best Large Fleet and many other individual awards), Ron Beer (Best Sleeper), Stan Alles (Best Peterbilt), George DeFrancesco (Best Metal Shine) and Ray Rodriquez (Best Engine and People’s Choice). Our “Sponsor’s Choice” award went to Kameran Lowe-Ash and his slammed and sterile battleship gray Peterbilt 389 and black-sided Utility van. This thing was making a huge statement, but in a very subtle and understated way. The big “Best of Show” trophy went to C.G. Soza of Soza Trucking out of Atwater, CA. His stunning bright red and blue W900L Kenworth and matching car hauler trailer, which was parked right next to our booth, also won the Best Interior award.
During the awards, someone from Stay Loaded Apparel went up to the stage with a clear plastic bag full of cash. SLA had designed and printed a special shirt, just for this event, and all of the sales (which were actually donations) went directly to TFK. They raised an astounding $7,000 for the cause. Also, Erica Tarascou put together a beautiful 40th Anniversary bouquet of red flowers and presented it to Frank and Dianna. She did a great job!
Toward the end of the awards, a bunch of us from 10-4 Magazine went up on stage and presented our cash donation from the BBQ to Frank and Dianna. We also gave the couple a large picture of themselves, printed on metal by Carl at Rockwood Products, in honor and recognition of their decades of service to TFK and the entire trucking community. After that, we confirmed that the rumors were true and that we in fact were taking over the show in 2022.
Everyone was very excited and supportive of this announcement, and several said, “I can’t think of a better group of people to take this show over!” Wow, what a great compliment. After being involved with this event as vendors, media partners, consultants, and sponsors for almost 30 years, I suppose it did make a lot of sense for us to grab the torch and carry it on. We are humbled and proud to take on this huge responsibility, and vow to work our butts off all year to make it even bigger and better.
During much of the day on Sunday, John Testa (and Miss Julia) were livestreaming from the event, capturing the fun and excitement, and sharing with everyone who could not be at the show. We would like to thank all our livestream sponsors, including Dickerson Custom Trucks (who sponsored the Saturday night light show exclusively), along with Commercial Tire, Diesel Exhaust & Emissions, Dynaflex Products and Big Strappers Apparel, who collectively sponsored all the livestreams on Sunday.
After almost 40 years, it was time for the show to end, and we’re sure it was bittersweet for Frank and Dianna Pangburn, as it was their last one. They are dear friends of ours, and we can’t wait to make them proud next year by hosting the best TFK ever! Dates for 2022 have not been determined, but we are fairly certain the venue will stay the same and the event will still be held near the end of September or the beginning of October. As one era of Truckin’ For Kids comes to an end, another is just beginning, and we couldn’t be more excited.
LIGHT SHOW WINNERS
LIGHTS (ANTIQUE): 1st Paul Anker/Anker Hay; 2nd Roel Hofstee/Hofstee Farms; 3rd Roger Ghidelli/Maggini & Son.
LIGHTS (BOBTAIL): 1st Jose Ramos/R&B Produce; 2nd James Kirk/Statewide Towing; 3rd Ryan Brown/R.B.T.
LIGHTS (COMBO): 1st Tommy Stine/North Coast Wine; 2nd Jose Meza/Aguila Real Transport; 3rd Jay Farnsworth/Farnsworth.
DRAG RACING WINNERS
PICKUPS (STREET TIRES): 1st Jeffrie Velasquez/V-Bros. Racing; 2nd Mayra Montanez/DL Ward, Inc.
PICKUPS (SLICKS): 1st John Sapone/Pothole Express; 2nd Vic Caliva/Caliva’s Inc.
DIESEL PICKUPS: 1st Allen Pena/Unique Ind; 2nd Jason Williford/SoCal Diesel Trucks.
QUICKEST PICKUP: Vic Caliva/Caliva’s Inc.
BIG RIGS: 1st Abel Martinez/American Premium Castings; 2nd Jared Campbell/Ray Bethers Trucking.
SUPER DRAG TRUCKS: 1st Oscar Velasquez/V-Bros. Racing; 2nd Arnold Hernandez/Hernandez Diesel Garage.
SHOW & SHINE WINNERS
PROFESSIONAL SHOW TRUCK: 1st Shawn McClintic/Arrowhead; 2nd Joe Adivari/Adivari Inc; 3rd Ron Lanting/Lanting Hay.
3-AXLE CONV (2019-2021): 1st Johnny Ciauri/Lawless Express; 2nd Bobby Vaz/Robert Vaz Trucking; 3rd Vince Jenkins/After Midnight Trucking.
3-AXLE CONV (2016-2018): 1st Jeremy Wade/Arrowhead; 2nd Luis Pinion/Arrowhead; 3rd C.G. Soza/Soza Trucking.
3-AXLE CONV (2012-2015): 1st Shawn McClintic/Arrowhead; 2nd Ray Rodriquez/Lil Ray’s Transport; 3rd Jr. Haro/Kershia Trucking.
3-AXLE CONV (2005-2011): 1st Jose Ruben Vargas/R&E Trucking; 2nd Omar Castillo/OCT; 3rd Bobby Haro/Kershia Trucking.
3-AXLE CONV (1998-2004): 1st David Montes/Montes Tractors; 2nd Ray Rodriquez/Lil Ray’s Transport; 3rd Richard Hettinga/Hettinga Trans.
2-AXLE CONV (2016-2021): 1st Gilbert Davila/Central Valley Transport; 2nd Ryan Pounds/Central Valley Transport; 3rd Dane Nelson/Henkels & McCoy.
2-AXLE CONV (2009-2015): 1st Terry Wright/Terry Wright Trucking; 2nd Mark Pounds/Central Valley Transport; 3rd Dean Werner/Werner Transport.
2-AXLE CONV (1998-2008): 1st Bryan Brown/Big Kicker Ranch.
CABOVER: 1st Brian Governo/Southside BBQ; 2nd Jake Lagomarsino/Lagomarsino Transport; 3rd Ryan Brown/R.B.T.
WORKING ANTIQUE (1973-1997): 1st Brian Governo/Southside BBQ; 2nd Joe Arias/DJ Arias & Son; 3rd Nathan Herrera/Castillo.
WORKING ANTIQUE (1936-1972): 1st Stan Alles/Stan Alles Transport; 2nd Roel Hofstee/Hofstee Farms; 3rd Jake DeFrancesco/DDT.
NON-WORKING ANTIQUE: 1st Alex Nieves/McCarthy Building Company; 2nd Charles Cunningham/Cunningham Bros. Hay Company; 3rd Ray Rodriquez/Lil Ray’s Transport.
LOCAL DELIVERY: 1st Gilbert Davila/Central Valley Transport; 2nd Stan Alles/Stan Alles Transport; 3rd Keith Pounds/Central Valley Transport.
DUMP TRUCKS: 1st David Montes/Montes & Son; 2nd Joseph Ciarri/JC Transport; 3rd Jeff Kerr/Valley Bulk.
WRECKER: 1st Javier Gonzalez/Edwin’s Towing; 2nd Eddie Vasques/Chino’s Towing; 3rd Miguel/Today’s Towing.
SERVICE TRUCK: 1st Todd Lemke/FJ Willert Construction; 2nd Mike Mayes/Toolshed Equipment Rental; 3rd Octavio Garcia/DDT.
SPECIALTY RIG: 1st Jacob Garcia/American Heavy Moving; 2nd Markie Pounds/Central Valley Transport; 3rd Rafael Dominguez/Always Haulin.
HOBBY TRUCK: 1st Todd Lemke; 2nd Denny Katousich/McCarthy Building Company; 3rd Jacob Lagomarsino/Lagomarsino Transport.
ROCKWOOD INTERIOR: 1st Shawn McClintic/Arrowhead; 2nd Alex Gomez/Gomez Trucking; 3rd Aaron Hoffman/REA Hauling.
SMALL FLEET: 1st Tarascou Trucking; 2nd So. Cal Equipment; 3rd Double E Trucking.
LARGE FLEET: 1st Central Valley Transport; 2nd Monzon & Son; 3rd Marco Transport.
SPECIALTY TRAILER: 1st Shawn McClintic/Arrowhead; Jeremy Wade/Arrowhead; 3rd Johnny Ciauri/Lawless Express.
FLATBED: 1st Austin Jensen/Robert Vaz Trucking; 2nd Ryan Pounds/Central Valley Transport; 3rd Everardo Lopez/E. Lopez Trkg.
HEAVY EQUIPMENT/LOWBED: 1st Ramiro Nava/Monarch Heavy Haul; 2nd Alex Arzola/Statewide Towing; 3rd Hector Ayala/Monzon & Son.
END DUMP: 1st Ernesto Morales/G.O. Rodriguez; 2nd Jesus Soto/Soto Transport; 3rd Jared Reed/Guy Reed Trucking.
TRANSFER DUMP: 1st Aaron Hoffman/REA Hauling; 2nd Miro Dragich/Quality Material Transport; 3rd Jose Serrano/Joe S. Transportation.
STEEL TANKER: 1st Luis Pinion/Arrowhead; 2nd Bobby Vaz/Robert Vaz Trucking; 3rd Keith Pounds/Central Valley Transport.
ALUMINUM TANKERS: 1st Colton Pounds/Central Valley Transport; 2nd Josh Hernandez/ICON Transport.
OVER-THE-ROAD: 1st Vince Jenkins/After Midnight Trucking; 2nd Ron Beer/Deluxe Distribution; 3rd Rafael Dominguez/Always Haulin.
SPECIALTY AWARD WINNERS
BEST ART & GRAPHICS: James Kirk/Statewide Towing.
BEST ENGINE: Ray Rodriquez/Lil Ray’s Transport.
BEST INTERIOR: C.G. Soza/Soza Trucking.
BEST SLEEPER: Ron Beer/Deluxe Distribution.
LONGEST TOW: Ben Deason (North Carolina).
UGLIEST TRUCK: Mark Tarascou/Tarascou Trucking.
BEST FREIGHTLINER: Paul Anker/Anker Hay.
BEST INTERNATIONAL: John Stewart.
BEST KENWORTH: Jared Campbell/Ray Bethers Trucking.
BEST PETERBILT: Stan Alles/Stan Alles Transport.
BEST METAL SHINE: George DeFrancesco/DDT.
SPONSOR’S CHOICE (10-4 MAGAZINE): Kameran Lowe-Ash/J&S Enterprises.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Ray Rodriquez/Lil Ray’s Transport.
BEST OF SHOW: C.G. Soza/Soza Trucking.
